Stretch collar for adjustable fit and comfort

ABSTRACT

This invention discloses a novel shirt collar in order to maximize elasticity of the collar while preserving the overall classic look of the shirt in order to accommodate a range of neck circumferences.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority to provisional application U.S. Pat. App. No. 62/377,022, filed Aug. 19, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to expandable shirt collars. The expandable shirt collar and band have stretch capabilities to accommodate for shrinkage of the parts of the shirt at the neck or for neck growth. The expandable collar and band will have the ability to stretch up to one inch for appropriate and consistent fit. The unique features of the invention include that the expandable collar is comfortable and stylish in appearance while at the same time having the utility of being expandable as the circumference of the neck of the wearer changes.

BACKGROUND

The problem with dress shirts historically is that dress shirts have a short lifespan, due to the inelasticity of the shirt collars. Inevitably, shirt collars shrink after multiple cleaning cycles, or get tight if the wearer's neck circumference changes. The claimed invention addresses these problems by incorporating into a shirt an elastic, stretchable shirt collar, which will not have any visible difference from an ordinary dress shirt.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed invention.

FIG. 1. Shows the outside view of the top of the shirt collar, viewed from the front, with the top collar, seam allowance sewn with body and elastic insert shown.

FIG. 2. Shows the undercollar outside of the shirt collar with the 2 ply yoke at bias, viewed from the back, with the top collar, bottom collar, ¼ patch, outer band, elastic insert and bias yoke shown.

FIG. 3 Shows the innerband inside view of the collar, with the elastic insert and fusible inside band shown

FIG. 4 Shows the inside front view shown from the front

FIG. 5 Shows the outside rear view of the shirt collar shown from the back.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various examples of the invention will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these examples. One skilled in the relevant art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details. Likewise, one skilled in the relevant art will also understand that the invention can include many other features not described in detail herein.

Turning to FIGS. 1 and 2, the drawing is the inside and outside view of the collar assembly. The references in the drawing are:

(11) Top Collar layer (12) Bottom Collar layer (13) ¼ patch (14) (not used) (15) Outer band components (16) Innerband (17) Elastic insret (18) (not used) (19) Left yoke (20) Right yoke

In one embodiment, the collar is comprised of a top collar layer (1), bottom collar (2), ¼ patch (3), outer band (5), inner band (6), left yoke and right yoke (9, 10). The band has at one end a hole and at the other a button that in use, is inserted through the hole. The outerband (5) and inner band (6) are comprised of a section where an elastic insert (7) connects a first and a second section of both the inner and outerband, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The seam where the elastic insert meets the body of the shirt is only sewn when the collar inserted into the body of the shirt. FIG. 3. In another embodiment, the seam along the bottom of the collar band stops at the elastic insert, that is, the collar band seam to the body is along the first and second sections of the inner and outerbands, as shown in FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the fabric of the collar and collar band will be a stretch woven fabric, having at least 5% elastane or T400 properties and an initial minimum stretch of 20% up to a maximum stretch of 50%. The residual growth will be no more than 5%.

In another embodiment, the collar of the shirt is cut on the bias of body fabric, consisting of five parts, as shown in FIG. 2. These component parts are the top collar (1), the bottom under collar (2), the quarter stay patch on each collar point (3), and the stretch fusible lining fused halfway through to the top collar. The collar band is also cut on the bias, consisting of ten component pieces, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2: the outer band (two pieces in the body fabric), the inner band (two pieces of push elastic with high stretch and 95% recovery, which measure 1.5 inches wide by 1.25 inches tall), stretch fusible lining fused to the inside band, where two of the outer component pieces are fused and then attached to the elastic which then becomes the inner collar band. In this embodiment, the thread should have the ability of at least 50% elongation, with a stitch type of 18-20 stitches per inch for the parts needing the stretch, including the bobbin and top thread and the collar set into the band, which must allow some stretch at the seam set. The yoke of the shirt is a 2 ply split yoke (9), (10), as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, which in one embodiment, is cut on the bias of the fabric.

In yet another embodiment, the shirt collar is the same as the first embodiment for cut parts. However, bonding is used in place of sewing seams, and bonding laminate is used in place of fusible interlinings. In this second embodiment, the collar and band are to be glued or otherwise adhered in order to not use sew taping. The band shall be set into the body of the shirt using sewing, with stretch threads at 18-20 stitches per inch.

In yet another embodiment, the outer band may be constructed such that the outer collar band fabric covers the elastic insert, but is not sewn to it, in order that the elastic operate beneath the cover of the fabric. In this embodiment, the outer collar band fabric is not sewn into the body of the shirt along the section where the elastic insert lies underneath. The amount of fabric may be partially gathered along that section in order to accommodate the adjustment of the elastic collar. 

What is claimed:
 1. An adjustable shirt collar, comprising: a collar; a collar band, said collar band comprised of an innerband and an outerband, said innerband and outerband comprised of a first and a second component section; and an elastic insert that connects the first and the second component section of both the innerband and outerband;
 2. The collar of claim 1 where the elastic insert is comprised of a stretch woven fabric has an initial minimum stretch of 20% and a maximum stretch of 50%.
 3. The adjustable shirt collar of claim 2 where the stretch woven fabric has at least 5% elastane.
 4. The adjustable shirt collar of claim 2 where the stretch woven fabric has a residual growth of no more than 5%.
 5. The collar of claim 1 further comprising: a body of a shirt; a seam connecting the elastic insert to the body of the shirt; said seam sewn along the bottom of the collar band only along the first and second sections of the innerband and outerband.
 6. The collar of claim 1 where the stretch woven fabric has at least 5% T400.
 7. The collar of claim 1 where the innerband and outerband are comprised of a fabric cut on the bias.
 8. An adjustable shirt collar, comprising: an outer band comprised of at least two component pieces; a stretch fusible lining, where the two of the component pieces are fused to the fusable lining and attached to an elastic that forms an inner collar band.
 9. The collar of claim 8 further comprising: a shirt body comprised of a fabric where the two component pieces of the outerband are comprised of the fabric.
 10. The collar of claim 8 where the innerband is comprised of two pieces of push elastic with high stretch and 95% recovery.
 11. The collar of claim 10 where the two pieces of the innerband each measure 1.5 inches wide by 1.25 inches tall.
 12. The collar of claim 1 where the elastic insert is further comprised of five seams, one seam between the insert and an upper collar, one seam between the insert and the first component of the innerband, one seam between the insert and the second component of the innerband, one seam between the insert and a first yoke and one seam between the insert and a second yoke.
 13. The collar of claim 1 further comprising: a shirt body, where the elastic insert is further comprised of two seams, one seam between the insert and the first component of the innerband, one seam between the insert and the second component of the innerband; and no seam between the insert and the collar and no seam between the insert and the shirt body.
 14. The collar of claim 1 further comprising a thread forming at least one seam of the elastic insert, said thread having at least 50% elongation, and said seam being a stitch type between 18 and 20 stitches per inch.
 15. The collar of claim 1 further comprising a thread forming at least one seam between at least one component of the collar band and a shirt body, said thread having at least 50% elongation, and said seam being a stitch type between 18 and 20 stitches per inch.
 16. The collar of claim 12 where the first yoke and second yoke are comprised of a fabric cut on the bias of the fabric.
 17. The collar of claim 16 where the first and second yoke pieces are 2 ply split yoke.
 18. An adjustable shirt collar to accommodate differing neck circumferences, comprising: an outer band comprised of at least two component pieces; a stretch bonding laminate, where the two of the component pieces are fused to the bonding laminate and attached to an elastic that forms an inner collar band; where the two component pieces do not meet in order that the elastic of the inner collar band forms an elastic section of the collar band that operates to permit adjustment of the entire collar band.
 19. The collar of claim 18 further comprising a thread forming at least one seam of the elastic section, said thread having at least 50% elongation, and said seam being a stitch type between 18 and 20 stitches per inch.
 20. The collar of claim 18 further comprising a shirt body and a thread forming at least one seam between at least one component of the collar band and the shirt body, said thread having at least 50% elongation, and said seam being a stitch type between 18 and 20 stitches per inch.
 21. The collar of claim 18 further comprising: a shirt body, where the elastic section is further comprised no seam between the elastic section and the shirt body.
 22. The collar of claim 18 where bonding is used in place of sewing seams, and bonding laminate is used in place of fusible interlinings and collar and band are glued or otherwise adhered in order to not use sew taping. 